Inside: Pig Market
Additional American pig supply on the way
The pig herd in the United States (US) has grown by 2% in the past year. This is according to the December census of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA also foresees an increasing supply of pigs in 2018.
Read this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits you
Compared to the September count, the size of the pig herd has shrunk slightly. The number of sows grew by 1% to 6,18 million in the past year. The number of sows also increased by 1% with regard to the count in the third quarter.
With an average of 10,63 live piglets per litter (between September and November), the figure is a record. The number of piglets (up to 23 kilos) increased by 3% to 21,44 million in December, compared to last year.
3
procent
Additional piglets on the way
Between December 2017 and February 2018, the USDA projects 3,07 million pregnant sows. This is an increase of 3% compared to the past year and 5% more compared to the period between the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016.
About 47% of the U.S. pig herd is raised on farms with more than 5.000 pigs. With 22,8 million pigs, Iowa is by far the largest pig state in the US, followed by Minnesota (8,5 million) and Illionois (5,3 million).
Fewer massacres than expected
In November, 10,5 million pigs were slaughtered in the US, 1% more than in the same month last year. Given the growing pig herd and the additional slaughter capacity, analysts had expected more slaughters.
The American pork price (Iowa/Minnesota quotation) has been stable between $1,25 and $1,30 per kilo since mid-November. The highlight of 2017 was at the end of June, when the price of $1,95 per kilo was briefly displayed on the plates.
After a significant downgrade this fall, the American pork price is now stabilizing.